[GushShalom] Action alert & Avnery article: The Aim: Victory

[Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)]

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     Gush Shalom
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     Nov. 24, 2002

[] Stop The House Demolition - This Is Not Doing Justice
   request to send  protest letter
[] Avnery: The Aim: Victory


[] Stop The House Demolition - This Is Not Doing Justice
   request to send  protest letter

 Started as "reaction" after Thursday's terrorist attack in Jerusalem, the IDF actions 
against Bethlehem and in the Gaza Strip are continuing. The Israeli media give some 
glimpses; there are press releases from Palestinian organizations; whaat we got from 
Huwaida Arraf, International Solidarity Movement describes something which did NOT 
YET happen - so you may try to write a short sharp letter (sample follows) to:


Acting Foreign Minister Benyamin Netanyahu <sar at mofa.gov.il>
(or even better:) fax (+972-2) 5303506 / 5303896 5303367
and: Spokesperson Defense Ministry <info at mail.idf.il>

+copies to: 
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan ecu at un.org, coi at un.org, commond at un.org
US President George W. Bush president at whitehouse.gov
"Secretary of State,  Colin Powell" <secretary at state.gov>,
Vladimir Putin, President, Russia <rusun at undp.org>
Jacques Chirac, President, France <fraun at undp.org>
Jiang Zemin, President, China <chnun at undp.org>
Tony Blair, Prime Minister, Britain (Fax +44-207-925-0918)
"Mr. Terje Rod Larsen Personal Representative of the Secretary General to
the United Nations in Palestine" unsco at palnet.com, lemore at un.org
Ms. Mary Robinson UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 
<webadmin.hchr at unog.ch>
European Parliament Belgian Office <epbrussels at europarl.eu.int>
Jean Chretien Prime Minister of Canada <pm at pm.gc.ca>

+BCC to info at gush-shalom.org

[following is what you can use at it is - or as inspiration]

The senseless ongoing brutality of the IDF against unprotected civilians under its  
custody (as the occupying force) are not unnoticed. How are you going to explain to 
the world this ongoing collective punishment, especilly the convenient house 
demolitions (convenient for settler expansionism) making whole families homeless, 
because of what not they have done? This form of collective punishment is in 
contraavention of the rules of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian 
law, and it will not bring back the dead, or prevent future acts of hatred. On the 
contrary.
STOP THE HOUSE DEMOLITION - THIS IS NOT DOING JUSTICE

>From           	Huwaida Arraf <huwaidaa at yahoo.com>
Date sent:      	Sat, 23 Nov 2002 13:27:34 -0800 (PST)

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
November 23, 2002

                                  BOMBING THE INNOCENT
The 4-story home of Mohammad Al-Ikhress, in the Dheisheh Refugee Camp in 
Bethlehem, is refuge for 20 people, 8 of whom are children aged 2-weeks to 13 years. 
The Israeli authorities want to demolish this home to leave these 20 already-refugees, 
homeless. Why? Because Mohammad is the father of Aayat Al-Ikhress, an 18-year 
old girl, who back on March 29, 2002, decided to turn herself into a human bomb and 
detonate in Jerusalem. No one knew of Aayat plans to become a “suicide bomber” and 
her family and friends still grieve for her, but no one is surprised or asks why. “The 
Israeli government sows the seeds of hatred in our people. They invade, bomb, 
demolish, strip, humiliate, shoot, and kill our people, and then call us terrorists when 
we respond” said Aayat’s older brother.
Last night at 3am, Israeli soldiers invaded the Al-Ikhress home, took all of Aayat’s 
pictures that her family had around the house, then left, promising to return to 
demolish the home. “They took away Aayat’s photos, but they can’t take away the 
memory of her” said Aayat’s mother,Khadra. 
The Israeli military has already demolished 6 Palestinian homes in the Bethlehem area 
in the past two days and whereas this practice is in direct violation of international law, 
the mainstream media neglects to mention this, and foreign governments signatory to 
the Fourth Geneva Convention, fail to condemn this. International humanitarian law 
states that collective punishment is illegal: "No protected person may be punished for 
an offence he or she has not personally committed." (Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva 
Convention).

This afternoon, 7 international volunteers from the International Solidarity Movement 
arrived at the Al-Ikhress home and will stay with the family through the night. The 
volunteers, equipped with video and still cameras will record the actions of the Israeli 
military. 
We urge the international community to live up to its responsibilities to the Palestinian 
people. Left with no other way to defend themselves and knowing that international 
laws are null when it comes to Israel, it is reasonable to expect that the Palestinian 
people will resort to any means necessary in their struggle for freedom. Failure on the 
part of the international community to take quick and decisive actions to force Israel to 
comply with UN Resolutions and international law is allowing the cycle of violence to 
continue.

Huwaida Arraf 
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT 
www.palsolidarity.org

[] Avnery: The Aim: Victory

The Aim: Victory
By Uri Avnery
Nov. 23

     It seems that a new wind is blowing in the country.
     This week I flew to Europe. On the way to the Airport, the taxi-driver told me: That's 
it, there is no hope left. We shall never have peace with the Palestinians. There is no 
one to talk with. No compromise is possible. The war will go on and on. Therefore he 
will vote for Sharon.
     I remarked that if this is so, his grandchildren would certainly leave the country. 
"What grandchildren," he replied with sorrow, mingled with pride, "My son is an 
architect in Los Angeles!"
     I returned after five days. The taxi driver who took me home from the airport 
surprised me. "All my life I have voted Likud," he said, "But the Likud has failed. There 
is no difference between Sharon and Netanyahu. They have not brought security but 
look how the economy has gone to pieces. This time I shall vote for Mitzna."
     What has happened during these five days? One thing: Amram Mitzna has won the 
primary election in the Labor Party.
     This, by itself, is a stunning feat in every respect. An introvert "Yekke" (as German 
Jews are condescendingly called) without charisma has defeated an "authentic", back-
slapping Iraqi. A dove has beaten a hawk. A political newcomer, who has announced 
that he is ready to talk with Arafat, has routed the Defense Minister, who has tried to 
destroy the Palestinian Authority.
     That is a shining victory of Mitzna's. But it is much more.  It is a symptom of 
mysterious happenings in the depths of the national consciousness.  
     During the last two years, while the cycle of atrocities got wider and wider, I was 
often asked how I managed to remain optimistic, while everybody around lost all hope. 
I answered that one day, in a week or in five years, the public will wake up in the 
morning and exclaim: "Enough! This can't go on! A solution must be found!"
     "What good will that do?" the doom-sayers would say, "There is no politician 
around who could lead the country towards peace."
     "The demand will create the offer," I answered, "When there is a demand for such a 
leader, he will appear from somewhere."
     I think that this forecast is beginning to be realized. The currents beneath the 
surface of public consciousness are changing. The IDF conquers, occupies, kills, 
"destroys the terror infrastructure", and the Palestinian attacks do not stop for a 
moment. The regular declarations of Sharon and Mofaz start to sound like self-parody. 
For the first time, "simple" people realize that there is a close relationship between the 
intifada, the economic crisis and the social emergency.
      That does not cause the public to love the Palestinians or to get enamored with 
peace. Not at all. But it causes it to look for a leader with vision, who will try sincerely 
to break out of the bloody cycle and find a solution. The settlers are "out", compromise 
is "in". Amram Mitzna has appeared at the right place, at the right time, with the right 
message.
     Now the slogan must be: Full Steam Ahead!
     Some cautious peace activists say that we should not ask for too much. One has 
to look at the public opinion polls. Mitzna cannot beat Sharon. But he can overhaul the 
Labor Party in opposition, and that is also important.
     This is a mistake. The polls photograph the situation on the ground. They do not 
see what's happening underneath. There, new currents are flowing. Therefore, the aim 
must be: victory.
     True, a victory of Mitzna over the Sharonyahu looks like a miracle. But that's how a 
victory of Mitzna over Ben-Eliezer looked a month ago. It will be difficult, very difficult. 
But it is possible. All efforts must be made to achieve it.
     According to all the polls, the gap between the two big blocs, the right and the left, 
is quite small even now, before the public has grasped the full impact of what 
happened in the Labor Party. Something like 65 against 55. Which means that it is 
enough to capture five-six seats in the Knesset in order to achieve an enormous 
change.
     There is no alternative to victory. For the future of Israel, the saving of human lives 
and the reconstruction of the state, the difference between Mitzna and Sharon is 
colossal.
     If the hour has not yet struck, and the Likud wins after all, the struggle must not be 
stopped for a moment. If Sharon or Netanyahu win, they will head a narrow, divided 
and fragile coalition, unable to solve any problems. It will be torn between the need to 
please Bush and the need to appease the extreme right wing of Lieberman-Eytam. 
Since things under their leadership will go on deteriorating, it can be brought down 
within a year and then the big reversal must be effected.
     Therefore, any thought about an effort to set up a "national unity" government after 
the election is dangerous. No doubt Sharon will offer Labor seductive terms for joining. 
In the language of the Mafia: "An offer they can't refuse." But Sharon is Sharon and will 
never change. In order to remain true to himself, Mitzna will have to refuse. Even if his 
job-hungry and unprincipled colleagues urge him to accept.
     The aim must be: a total reversal, all along the front and in every area. Nothing less 
will suffice.
     True, Amram Mitzna may disappoint us. Let's not forget the enthusiasm with which 
we welcomed Ehud Barak, who led to disaster. He may break on the way. That can 
also happen, and we must be ready for it. But it is reasonable to expect the opposite. 
A person can grow in the job and fulfill the mission history has placed on him.
    At this moment, ecce homo.
                     ---


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